Short Films

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I directed, filmed, produced, and edited a two-part short film series Surfing Siargao.

As a Filipina-American, this project reflects both a personal and professional commitment to telling Filipino stories. My mother was born in Zambales, yet I did not visit the Philippines until 2025. Spending six months exploring the islands revealed world-class potential—in both the landscape and the athletes—that remains largely untapped on screen.

During a three-month stay in Siargao, a small island in the southeastern Philippines, I was deeply moved by the stories and resilience of local surfers. I came to understand that their athleticism was not accidental, but shaped by their environment. Many national surfers and rowers are children of fishermen and farmers; their elite skills were forged by the land and sea they call home. Just as the landscape shaped their strength, it catalyzed a personal shift within me as I reconnected with my heritage. These films are the direct result of those observations.

I directed, filmed, produced, and edited a two-part short film series Surfing Siargao.

As a Filipina-American, this project reflects both a personal and professional commitment to telling Filipino stories. My mother was born in Zambales, yet I did not visit the Philippines until 2025. Spending six months exploring the islands revealed world-class potential —in both the landscape and the athletes—that remains largely untapped on screen.